Circumstances
by Luckstreak
Summary: In a matter of seconds, the future can change and morph in something surprisingly beautiful. Or awfully horrendous, depending on how you see it. Confusing emotions, revealing surprises, inclusive inner conflicts. How much a man can change, depending on the circumstances? For Naruto and Sakura, it sure was a lot different. Time-Travel and AU in some way.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.**

* * *

It has been one hell of a week for a small teenager girl called Sakura Haruno.

Just three days ago Sasuke Uchiha, her prodigious and handsome teammate, and the center of her affection, has left the village of Konoha to train under the wings of that creepy man named Orochimaru of the Sannin.

Sakura couldn't believe it. After everything of what happened, this was the last outcome she would have imagined to happen. Well, that was a lie. She has foreseen it happening after she witnessed Sasuke fighting those sound ninjas in the Forrest of Death, still, she had held a small amount of hope in her heart that Sasuke would have turned out for the good in the end. But the fateful night in the desolated streets of Konoha proved her well-placed suspicious right, when after all her pleas and begging, Sasuke still left the village in the middle of the night.

Sakura was confused. At this point of her life, she still didn't know if what she felt was something more than friendship for her raven-haired teammate. After all she did, Sasuke never actually had acknowledged her in the slightest. All Sakura knew was that she wanted to have Sasuke by her side right now. Maybe not romantically, but being friends with him sounded far better than having him gone.

Sakura currently was resting against one of the three stumps where everything has begun. The sounds of birds could be heard in the afar. The soothing atmosphere that brought the near river flowing, gave a peaceful feeling for the pink-haired girl. Sakura brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs protectively.

"I wish I had been stronger, maybe I could have saved Sasuke-kun from the path of vengeance sooner. Oh Kami, I'm so weak…" whispered the girl to no one.

Sakura started to hiccup as tears started to form in her emerald eyes. She didn't know what for she was crying anymore. Sasuke betrayal has been low blow, but Naruto's condition had also taken its toll. When she saw Naruto lying in the hospital, bandaged from head to toes, she didn't know what to say or think. It such a surreal thing, to think that Naruto was a mortal too, like everybody else. Sakura always thought of Naruto as an indestructible individual. Maybe it was his aura, which gave a feeling of total security and confidence, or his charismatic antics, which were sometimes funny when he did or said something. The Naruto she saw in the Hospital Ward looked so…fragile, like he was going to break into pieces by any second. His normal grin was replaced with a grimace when he looked at her in the eyes in her first and only visit to his room, his promise still fresh in her mind.

Sakura wept softly in the trainings grounds of what left of Team Seven, her eyes wide shut, trying to don't think anymore in the issue, but her mind dictated otherwise as she remembered every moment of Team Seven where everybody was happy, well, as happy Sasuke would demonstrated to be in that time.

A new wave of sadness crashed into her, as Sakura started to cry harder than before. Her grief due Sasuke's betrayal, her worries for Naruto's condition and her irritation because of Kakashi's indifference. It was too much for Sakura, as she cried her eyes out in despair.

Sakura was too occupied crying that she didn't notice the small ball of energy materializing in front of her. It wasn't until chakra started to pour out from the ball that she did looked up from her lap and let out a small gasp at the sudden power.

The earth shook for a moment and Sakura nearly fell to the side, the small display of energy disappeared as soon as it appeared.

"What the-"

Sakura couldn't finish her phrase as a sudden force broke out of nowhere in front of her, an indescribable sound could be heard in amidst of the training ground. Sakura covered her eyes as the dirt arose from the ground, like a small tornado. Sakura heard something heavy being dropped in the ground, the dust slowly dissolved and the figure of a man appeared through the filth.

Sakura gasped softly at the sight of a beaten blonde-haired man lying on the cold dirt. The man's black clothes were all covered with slashes, fresh warm-blood could be seen running all through his body. Sakura sighed in relief as she caught a glimpse of a Konoha Hitai-ate in the man's forehead. Sakura shook his head as she regained her composure. The man –Who didn't look older than thirty- was in very bad shape, and Sakura was convinced that it wasn't just a mere scratch. Sakura wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve and walked slowly to the man.

Sakura walked until she was in front of the man, only inches separating them. She shook his shoulder gently, trying to wake him up.

"Mister, are you conscious?" asked Sakura softly.

There was no response or action returned. Sakura tried again, harder this time.

"Please Mister, wake up."

Sakura started to hyperventilate. The thought of a man just dying in her presence without her doing anything to save him was too much for her young mind. Sakura tried to take the man's pulse in his neck, but a strong grip in her wrist preventer her in doing so. Sakura watched as the man tried to stand up, but failed miserably as he fell on the ground unceremoniously. The grip in her wrist loosened, but it was still there.

The mysterious man shook his head, his hair flying from one side to other. Sakura looked at the man in surprise when she gazed at his face. He was an exact replica of the Yondaime Hokage, even the fangs at the sides of his face were there. She was about to ask how the he could be alive when the man looked into her eyes.

"Mebuki-Chan? What are you doing here?"

Sakura froze for a second.

Those eyes. Sakura knew those beautiful crystal blue eyes all too well. The last time she had looked into those eyes has been two days ago in the Hospital Ward. _How…_

"T-that is my mo-mother name…" said Sakura in a low voice, her eyes darting from the man's eyes to his clothes. They were standard jounin clothes, but it was all black colored instead of the normal military green vest along with the blue pants and shirt.

The man looked confused at Sakura's statement, "Mother? Don't you mean Grandmother?"

Sakura was now intrigued, "No, I'm sure that's my mother's name."

The man opened his mouth but no words came out. The man closed his mouth and his features sharpened for a second, "Why you're acting so much like Sakura in her youth, you never are this demanding."

Sakura sighed, "That is because I'm Sakura Haruno, Mebuki Haruno is my mother. And why you added the '-Chan' suffix in her name?" spitted Sakura, the worry about the man's condition long forgotten.

"Hey! Don't talk to your father like that!" growled the blonde haired man.

Sakura's eyes widened at the man's words, she could feel that he wasn't mocking as he scolded her. The man really did really believe that he was her father.

Sakura was livid now, "Hold on, I've only one father and his name is Kizashi Haruno, and his hair is pink, not blonde."

The man scoffed, "I don't know what's wrong with you, Mebuki-Chan. But no daughter of mine will talk at her father like that. I don't know why you would believe that your grandfather is your actual father. If this is a joke, it's a very bad one. Whatever you are doing, stop it now."

Sakura placed her hands in her hips, a small vein appeared in her large forehead, "I don't know how I could be worried about you for a second, now I understand why mom hates so much drunken men."

"Drunk? Me? Now you're pissing me off, Mebuki-Chan. I'm going to tell your mo-Wait, hold the hell on. What are you doing with Sakura's clothes in her genin's years?"

Sakura crossed her arms and tapped her foot in the ground, "Ehem, that's because I'm Sakura Haruno."

A look of realization appeared in the man's face, "Sakura Haruno? You're Sakura Haruno?"

Sakura nodded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Of course I'm, who are you?"

But Sakura's words were ignored as the man started to stand up, his face broke into a cheerful grin. The man slowly walked in front of Sakura, a small relieved laugh escaped his lips.

Sakura was now worried, but for herself, as the man now wore a very creepy looking face, his eyes were blazing with a new found fire. Sakura squealed in surprise as the man caught her off guard and grabbed her face with both of his hands.

"Is true, you're Sakura Haruno. In all my life, I've only seen one person with that pair of gorgeous emerald eyes. How I didn't notice it earlier?"

"GET OFF OF ME! YOU CRAZY AND DRUNK PERVERT!" yelled Sakura as she tried to get out from his powerful grasp.

"Pervert? Me?" the man laughed, "I'm the farthest from being a pervert! You would have killed me if I ever peeped in the hot springs!" the man stated in an as a matter of fact tone.

"Me? But I don't even know you!" screamed Sakura now completely confused.

The man gave Sakura a 'Nice Guy' pose very much similar to Rock Lee's one, "I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself first. My name is Naruto Namikaze-Uzumaki, also known as the 'Black Fox of the Leaf', jounin of Konohagakure, leader of Team Naruto, and husband of the most beautiful and youthful woman in all the fire country, Sakura Namikaze-Uzumaki."

Sakura looked at the grown Naruto in total disbelief, her jaw dropping to the ground, "But, but, but, but…You…and I…Married…Sasuke-kun…YOU..."

"And by the way, you can come out Naruto-kun, there's no need to hide in the bushes anymore!"

Sakura looked around in confusion when she heard a small shriek among the trees. Her temper flared as Naruto appeared in sight, he was wearing his obnoxious orange clothes like always.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura demanded mortified, the thought of Naruto spying on her crying, crossed her mind.

"Well, hehe, you see, I was, you know, ARE YOU REALLY ME?" screamed Naruto as he ran up to the strange man.

The grown Naruto scratched his head nerviously, "Well, yeah, my name was Naruto Uzumaki before the War so, yeah, I think so."

The genin Naruto nodded absently, his eyes fell on the man's clothes, "Woah! You're a jounin?"

The man let out a flustered laugh, "Yes, I am."

Naruto nearly fell on the ground in shock, "So I'm going to be a jounin in the future? SO COOL! I'm going to be Hokage in no time! Hey! How old are you?" asked Naruto now curious.

"I'm thirty, and about your Hokage's dream, I think you should-"

"WAIT!" screamed Sakura suddenly, standing now was between the two Naruto, "How did you end up here? I'm a bit suspicious."

"Oh right. I suppose I owe you two an explanation. I was talking to Kakashi-sensei the other day-"

"Wait, Kakashi-sensei was your sensei too?" asked Naruto happily.

The other Naruto looked at his counterpart confused, "Of course he was. Our father was his sensei after all, well anyway-"

"You know who our father is?!" Naruto throw himself to the man, his eyes showing sign of upcoming tears.

"What? You don't know who is our father? Then you must don't know our mother too…"

"YOU KNOW WHO OUR MOTHER IS?"

The grown Naruto looked at Sakura with a helpless look as the young Naruto started to cry openly in his chest, but Sakura looked confused as well.

"Of course we've a mother, is impossible to be born without having a mother, well, unless you're some kind of horrendous experiment, but I doubt we are one."

The young Naruto nodded as he rubbed his face with his arm, "Can you tell me who are them, please? I begged the old man to tell me who were them, but he never told me."

"The old man? But he-"

"Just tell me please, I'm begging you." Naruto pleaded miserably, his head down in embarrassment.

Sakura looked at the young Naruto in surprise. She didn't pictured him as a desperate boy, usually, Naruto was loud and boasted about small meaningless things, so he always had a overconfident façade in his face. But now, he looked weak, even weaker then the time she saw him in the hospital, and that said a lot. She supposed it was because the topic was Naruto's parents, and him being an unwanted orphan all his life sure let out its mark on him. Sakura cringed at the thought, it must have been hard, to live twelve years alone, without knowing who your parents are, or if they were alive or wanted you.

"Our father…he was one of the greatest man to ever walk on earth, he was the most caring and protective father you will ever meet, I suppose my surname will reveal who is him."

"Namikaze, Namikaze, I've heard that surname before, but where…" Sakura pondered confused, until realization struck her.

The young Naruto looked lost, his eyes traveled the man's features for a moment when it struck him too.

"Yeah, you got it right, Naruto-kun, our father is-"

"Your father is the Yondaime Hokage!" finished Sakura as she pointed him with an accusing finger.

Naruto lifted his hand in a surrender gesture, "Guilty."

The young Naruto looked like his brain had melted down, his face looked at the man in total denial.

"No, it's impossible! He was the Forth! The most powerful man that Konoha had even breed for crying out loud! H-he, was…but I'm just an orphan, I'm just-"

"What? You're just a simple nameless child? Open your eyes, kiddo. You're the legacy of two of most powerful clans in all history. The Namikaze Clan, a group of brave sailors whose determination and strength was envied by the Uchiha folks, and the Uzumaki Clan, a clan so powerful that it was massacred by other villages because they feared the power of the Uzumaki's. And what about the furball-"

The grown Naruto stopped his rant as he looked at his young counter, who looked like he was having a heart attack _in actu_. If Naruto thought that the information would have consoled Naruto, he was dead wrong as the young boy started to cry harder than before.

"I have parents, and they loved me, I HAVE PARENTS! AND ONE OF THE WAS THE FOURTH-"

"Shhh, you don't want everybody to know that, Naruto-kun, don't say it too loud."

"Why? He was our father! Are you ashamed of him? He was the-"

"The most powerful man, yeah, yeah, I know. But, aside from powerful he was feared too, not only by other villages but from his own village aswell. You need to understand, kid, that the reason why nobody told you about him is because he had made numerous enemies in his lifetime. His most precious technique made him the respected man who he is today, but people were terrified by his monstrous strength and cunning mind, too. Our dad had a lot of enemies, inclusive in my time, thirty years after his death, people still talk about him in fearful whisperings."

Naruto, dried from tears by now, searched for his father's head in the Hokage Monument. A new found respect filled him as he finally understood why nobody had told him about his heritage. Naruto, even if he wasn't the sharpest kunai in the drawer, comprehended the gravity of yelling to the four winds about his heritage. He was confused and hurt, oh boy he was, but also, he was relieved, like a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Naruto let out a happy laugh, "I'm the Fourth's son, Oh Kami, HE'S MY DAD!" Naruto brought his fist into the air, before collapsing in the ground, his laughter filled the clearing.

Sakura looked at her blonde teammate with a soft smile, a small giggle escaped her lips as Naruto began to dance in the ground. He looked so happy, that it was almost heartwarming. Naruto was the Fourth Hokage's son. The pariah, the dead-last of their class. Sakura gazed to the grown Naruto, who has a melancholy look in his face, he gave Sakura a wink and nodded in Naruto's direction. Sakura blushed as she walked up to Naruto and shook his shoulder.

"Come on, Naruto, you can celebrate later, I want to know why, eh…Namikaze-san is here" finished lamely Sakura.

Naruto nodded and urged the man to continue.

The grown Naruto scratched his chin, "Where I was? Oh yeah, how I ended up here. Well, how I was saying, I was talking to Kakashi-sensei the some days ago, and he commented about his time-travel jutsu-"

"Kakashi-sensei has a time-travel jutsu?" interrupted Naruto.

The other Naruto growled annoyed, "Yes he does, now, stop interrupting, brat, do you want to know why I'm here or not?" at Naruto flustered nod, he continued, "Anyway, we talked about his jutsu and Kakashi-sensei commented about the possibility of bringing a human being to another dimension. The reason why I look so beaten up is because my chakra and powers are so colossal that the jutsu alone can't be used on me in my normal state. I was fighting seven ANBUs plus the Hokage no long ago, so my powers were drained to the minimum, after the fight ended, Kakashi-sensei used his technique on me to travel through time and well, I ended up here."

Sakura looked skeptic, but the explanation was enough for her. That he looked like Naruto and the faint mark of whiskers in his face was a bonus too. Naruto for his part, believed every word the man had said. It was him! The very man who was in front of him now was him!

_Just look at him, his posture, his expressions, I'm such a cool guy, even cooler than…_

Sasuke. It his fault, everything was his fault. How could he, how could Sasuke leave their village for power from that Orochimaru-teme. Naruto mood changed and he clenched his fist, his face mirrored his counterpart and a wise look crept into his face.

"Eh… Naruto-san" he stated still confused about having two of him at the same time, "What happened to Sasuke-teme in the future?"

The grown Naruto looked confused at the question, "Sasuke-who? I don't know anyone with that name in my lifetime."

"Ehhh? But he is our teammate." said Sakura bewildered. How it was possible that Naruto couldn't remember his own childhood rival?, "You two practically hated each other into oblivion in the early years."

"Were you listening to what I said, Sakura-san? I mentioned that I was transferred to a parallel world. There are differences from one world to another, for example, what's the name of this teammate of yours?"

Sakura looked conflicted for a second, "Well, our teammate… His name is Sasuke Uchiha."

The grown Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Uchiha, uh? Well, looks like your friend wasn't born in my time, since I know everyone from the Uchiha Clan, from the high ranked ones to even all of their pets."

"Eh? How can you? They were all killed when we were like eight years old. It impossible" answered Naruto.

"Killed, uh? Well, then we have another difference in our world. In my time, the Uchiha Clan never was…slaughtered, you say? Well, they're still one of most powerful clans, behind the Namikaze and Uzumaki Clan. In fact, I was received as one of them in my youth by the Clan Head, who was Itachi-niisan in his moment."

"Nani? Care to explain, please" said Sakura now more intrigued than never. How it was possible that Sasuke didn't exist in this grown Naruto's world, she couldn't fathom her life without her former crush's existence.

"Why you don't tell me first how the Uchiha Clan was annihilated."

Sakura gave the grown Naruto a brief summary of what she happened that night –Or what she had heard happened from the adults- with Naruto adding small details here and there of what HE had heard of what occurred that day.

"So, let's me get this straight. You are telling me, that Itachi Uchiha, THE Itachi Uchiha who practically is my brother in everything but blood, eliminated the entire Uchiha Clan just to test out his skills? That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard in my entire life" concluded the grown Naruto, not believing a word.

"B-but, is the truth! Sasuke's brother killed everyone from the Clan, inclusive his own parents-"

"Well, there you got another difference between your world and mine's. In my lifetime, Itachi-niisan's parents were killed in the Kyuubi's attack, along with half of the Clan. It was a very low blow for the Uchiha, and even after thirty years after the incident, they never were as powerful as they were in their prime. Itachi-niisan was named the Uchiha's heir no longer after the event. He was ruthless when he was heir of the Uchiha Clan, oh yes he was, but he also was fair. I don't know what happened here, but I suppose the Clan Head was planning to do something in your time, since I doubt that Itachi-niisan would go and kill everyone just for giggles and shit. He was devoted to the Clan and village like no one ever was."

Sakura didn't know why, but a small part of her believed the story without a second thought. It was a logical think, Sasuke's brother would never have eliminated his entire clan just to test out his skills, there was something deeper running there.

"If Sasuke-teme wasn't your teammate, who it was, then?" asked Naruto interested.

"Well, he was one of Danzou-jiji's apprentice, his codename is Sai, do you guys know him?"

At the teens' negative response, Naruto continued, "Well then, he was one of Danzou-jiji's member of his organization, I'm sure you know about it."

"Danzou? Who's that man? I've never heard of him" exclaimed Sakura, maybe this guy didn't exist in their world too.

"What? How couldn't you know about the Fifth Hokage, hold on, who was the Godaime Hokage here?"

Naruto was about to answer but Sakura beaten her, "After the death of the Yondaime, Hiruzen Sarutobi became the Hokage again."

"Hiruzen? The old man? Well, that's surprising, I don't know what would have happened in my world if Danzou-jiji wouldn't have become Hokage, I bet he would be sulking and brooding everywhere. After all, they both were rivals in their youth, or that's what Danzou-jiji told me."

As the grown Naruto talked, Sakura noticed the wedding ring in his finger and then she remembered his early statement, "Sincewhenwearemarried?"

The grown Naruto looked at her puzzled, "What did you said?"

Sakura blushed profusely, her head bowed down, "I said… Since when we are married?"

The young Naruto looked at Sakura perplexed, then, he noticed the wedding ring on his counterpart's finger, "Whaaaat?! I'm married to Sakura-Chan?"

The grown Naruto smiled tenderly, "Of course I'm married to Sakura-Chan, we were best friends since I have memory."

Sakura now was conflicted. If the man in front of her was saying the truth, then it meant that Naruto and she were really married. It was such a foreign thought. In one part she couldn't believe that in another world she would have married Naruto. Naruto, of all of the boys in Konoha! But another part of her could foresee it coming. Naruto was caring, gentle and powerful, and he was the Hokage's son besides it, and from what she had heard, he was the heir of two of the most powerful Clans. Naruto was just… Naruto, she didn't had the words to describe him and his antics.

"What about Ino, you know her? Ino Yamanaka?" asked Sakura remembering her friendship with the blonde girl, their first meeting was a fresh memory in her mind.

"Yamanaka? I'm sorry, but the only Yamanaka I know is Inoichi-san, from what I've heard, he lost his wife and their unborn child in ambush before the Kyuubi's attack. Poor man, he never was the same again from what I've heard."

Sakura gasped loudly. So in another world, Ino wasn't born too? She couldn't believe it, their friendship made her the woman who she was today, if she never ever met Ino in another world…

"You called me Mebuki-Chan in the beginning. Who's she? Is she your…" Sakura trailed off.

"My daughter? Yes, she is. At first I thought you were her for the similarity of her with her mother, but Mebuki-Chan got my blue eyes instead of her mother's emeralds, it was the opposite with Minato."

Naruto perked up at the name, "Minato? Is he…"

Naruto nodded grinning, "Yes, he is my son too. He looks so much like me and my father that is damn scary, sometimes I think he's just a shadow clone because he his father's replica, expect that he got his mother's eyes as I just said."

Sakura gazed at her timeline Naruto, who had a content look in his face, but Sakura could see something more in his eyes, there was a small amount of sadness in them.

Naruto closed his eyes as he felt Sakura's eyes fell on him, his body went rigid for a moment. He was married to Sakura-Chan, his pink-haired teammate, the devoted and fan number one of Sasuke Uchiha. '_So, Sasuke-teme was never born in the other Naruto's timeline, uh? This is all so weird'_ thought Naruto. Jealously crept within him, his eyes looked at the blonde man with envy. From what the man has said, he was accepted in the Uchiha Clan as one of them in his counterpart's lifetime. He was jealous. Of his counterpart life, he was acknowledged since Kami know when, maybe when he was just a toddler, the other Naruto knew directly his heritage, as if it was the most obvious thing on the world. And he had Sakura-Chan in his arms, with two children.

"I remembered I have a checkup scheduled in the Hospital, goodbye err, Naruto-san, Sakura-chan."

Naruto disappeared from sight as fast as he could, tears started to built up in his eyes. _Life's unfair…_

Sakura looked where Naruto has run in concern, her arm extended as if she wanted to reach up him.

"I never thought it was that bad" commented the grown Naruto as he looked in his young counterpart direction, he was almost tempted to use the Hirashin no Jutsu and go behind him.

"What do you mean?" asked Sakura as she looked at the grown man in confusion.

"You need to understand, Sakura. That the life of Naruto-san has been hard, hell, even my own life, when I have been supported and loved since I left the orphanage at the age of three years, was hard, but from what I see, this poor boy life has been tougher than mine" answered Naruto sadly.

"I know that Naruto has been shunned when he was young, but it couldn't be that bad, right?"

The grown Naruto sat against of the stumps much like Sakura has been doing earlier, he let his arms fell at his sides, "Tell me, Sakura, what do you do when your parents ignores you?" asked Naruto not responding Sakura's question.

The pinkette thought about it for a moment, "Well, usually my parents never ignore me, but when they're arguing and they ignore my presence I tend out to yell them to stop so they can hear me" answered Sakura. Her eyes roamed Naruto's figure and for the first time, she noticed that the cuts he had all around his body were long gone.

Naruto nodded, "Exactly, because if you talk quietly whilst your parents argue is pretty much useless, so you need to yell and drag the attention to you. Now imagine this, you're young and you don't understand very much how the world works, still, you want to learn and have conversations with the people around you, because humans are made to have bonds and have conversations. But… Nobody listen to what you say, no matter how much you try and voice your thoughts, nobody ever heard anything of what you say. Now, you start to grow up, and people talk to you by this time. You understand how the world works, and now you want to be part of it. People heard what you say now, but they don't listen. They just pretend to so you feel happy and stop bothering them for once and for all."

"Imagine this is like when your parents ignore you while they're arguing, but instead of doing it only when they are having a fight, they do it every day, every moment of your life, from the time you're born. They say 'OK, honey, it will have it in mind', but the truth is that they just do it so you drop off the subject and leave, so they can continue to argue again. That's Naruto's life, every day since he was born, because even if I met up him for only what, twenty minutes? I've seen enough children in the orphanage who are like him. They're alone and shunned all their life, so they do the only thing they can do to have your attention when you pass by. They yell, and they do it as loudly as possible, because even if the only thing you do is looking at them, that's enough for them, because you have looked at their direction, and they sigh in relief because they now know one more time that they exist, because nobody act as like they actually did."

Sakura by now was covered in tears much like she was doing before the grown Naruto appeared, but this time they let out a bitter taste in her mouth. She was part of it, of everything this Naruto had said, because she had ignored Naruto like everybody else, because it was how the world worked right? If other people do it, you do it too, because, why trying to swim against the steam when you can just lay down and float calmly along with it?

"I am the father of two children, and if I pay attention to one too much and ignore the other, it can be very disastrous. Children are sensible beings, they don't understand things very well, but they're curious, and they always try to get the logic behind everything. They cry when then don't understand, but… what happens after you runs out of tears to shed?"

Sakura nodded and for a moment, she was almost tempted to seek comfort in the man's arms. Naruto noticed her hesitation and opened his arms in encouragement, "Mebuki-Chan always said that my hugs were magical, and I quote 'Otosan is like a bridge, that connect the earth with heaven, and unifies it in a wonderful place'."

Sakura thought it was a bit cheesy, but gave it a try and hugged him with all her might. When Naruto engulfed her figure with his arms, all doubt about what she had heard disappeared in the air as she moaned in total bliss. Sakura never thought about hugs, because for her, they were simple that…hugs, a mere display of affection and caring, nothing more. But now, she was going to ask everyone who crossed her path to hug her just to try and feel the same she was feeling now.

"She wasn't lying…" said Sakura trying to don't get lost into the realm of dreams, her mind roaming freely.

Naruto gave her a cheeky smirk, "I count on my daughter to never lie to me, she practically worships the ground I walk."

"Do you have any photo of her?"

"Hai."

Naruto searched with his left hand around his black jounin vest, his hand went inside a small personal pocket, "Here it is."

Sakura looked at the small wallet that was in Naruto's grip, he searched for a moment and then, showed her a full family photo. Sakura's gaze fell on the photo and let out a small gasp. It was a beautiful family photo, four people, two adults and two children, sitting in a luxurious-looking tablet, all four eating a part of a big birthday cake. Sakura looked at the smiling Naruto, his shinobi clothes nowhere in sight, instead he was wearing a simple plain orange t-shirt with a red spiral on it and blue pants. Her gaze then fell on what she supposed it what herself from the other world, her emerald eyes were filled with joy and happiness, her pink hair was tied in a simple, yet elegant ponytail, her clothes were much like Naruto's, she was wearing civilian clothes, a simple sleeveless pink dress, much like the one her mother wore, it was almost identical. She guessed that the young blond haired teen in the photo was the child Naruto has been talking. Minato Namikaze-Uzumaki was an exact copy of his father, like Naruto has said, the only difference were his emerald eyes, the same eyes that she saw everything she looked at herself in the mirror. His clothes, much to her amusement, was the same ugly and eyes-burning bright orange jumpsuit that her Naruto was using just now, the only difference was a small crest of a sea-ship on his right breast, he had the same wild and spiky blonde hair as his father. And then, there was the small pink haired girl sitting between her counterpart and Minato. Mebuki Namikase-Uzumaki wore an aristocrat smile on her face, but Sakura could see the very-well hidden joy and cheerfulness, much like the one her counterpart had in her eyes. Mebuki's dress was a fine piece of art, Sakura had to admit, as it looked like it made of a creamy silk, with a small cut amidst of it in the upper part to show up a bit of skin.

"Minato is very much like me. Always yelling to the world that he will be surpassing his father and become Hokage to protect his precious people, he may have got my look but he got his mother's intelligence, always deciphering the hardest obstacles before everybody else, well, expect for his mother."

"And then, there's little Mebuki-Chan. If you are stranger, you would think she's cold and uncaring, as she takes her position as the heir of the Namikaze-Uzumaki Clan too seriously. She had this tendency of always wearing my mother's jewelry and always uses honorifics even in the wildest moments, but once she's alone either with me or her mother, she is all hugs and kisses" Naruto finished with a small laugh.

It was too much for Sakura. Learning about her future but in other world, where the circumstances changed everything and millions of possibilities were altered, changing and morphing from one thing to other, to finally leave different kinds of outcomes in all the possible realities.

"Why do you think Naruto was spying on me earlier? I never thought of him as the stalker type" noted Sakura as she melted into the man embrace, the only traces of tears were her slightly red eyes.

Naruto sighed, "From what I've seen, you were crying before I appeared-"

"How do you know?" interrupted Sakura surprised.

Naruto gave her THAT look, "You don't get it, don't you? I've been married to you for eighteen years, Sakura, and I've known you even more, hell, I even have a daughter with you. You wouldn't think I don't know when you're feeling upset, happy or sad, Sakura."

It was true, this man has known her for more time that she had known herself, it was safe to say he could understand her completely by just looking in her eyes, for the matter.

Naruto coughed, "Anyway, I suppose Naruto-san was searching for you while you were crying. Call it instinct, but I also get a bad feeling whenever my Sakura get sad."

"Why would he be searching for me?"

Naruto closed his eyes tiredly, "You're so naïve, young girl."

Sakura looked at him hurtful, "Wh-what do you mean?"

"Isn't obvious? The boy is smitten with you, from what I suspect, he has been crushing on you for ages. I've seen that look, the look he gives you when he thinks you're not looking, is the same look of love and caring that I had when I started to develop feelings for my Sakura. Hell, my presence here with my wedding ring, with your name engraved on it, doesn't mean anything to you?"

Sakura stammered an incomprehensible response, but Naruto continued.

"From what I have learnt, this teammate of you, Sasuki, Saruke, whatever his name is, must have done something terrible for you to have that sorrowful look everything he was named. I'm Naruto if you still haven't grasp it by now, I will go to hell and back for my Sakura, I'd crush everyone who has the guts to do something to her. I'd even die for her if I had to."

Sakura couldn't believe she was going to cry again, for the third time in the day, "B-but Naruto is j-just a friend, h-he doesn't have t-to."

Naruto growled, "You are too young, too innocent. For a moment I thought you were more like my Sakura but now I understand that all the small differences between our worlds is something serious. The day I saw my Sakura alone, crying her eyes out in the middle of the playing ground after being bullied for her forehead, I knew I had to do something for her. I don't know what drove me to be so protective of her, but something almost feral took my body and beaten up every one of the bullies, even they're civilians and I had ninja's roots. When she stuttered a small 'thank you', my heart stirred within seconds. I gave her my mother's Uzumaki red ribbon that I was wearing in my upper arm. From that moment, I bowed to protect her from whatever life would throw at her, I was her bodyguard, and she was my damsel in distress."

Sakura remembered that memory so perfectly, but instead of Naruto, it has been Ino whom had given her the red ribbon.

Sakura gulped, "You hate me now?"

Naruto looked at her angrily, but shook his head after a moment of silence, his hands moved around her back in a soothing manner, "No I don't. I couldn't hate, because in some way, you're still my Sakura. You're just too ingenuous and also you're a teenage girl. I remember my Sakura's moods changed like the wind when she was around you age too, and also, remember I have a daughter too, I'm used to it."

Sakura melted into his embrace again, accepting the comforting feeling that he was giving, "When you're leaving, Naruto-san?" asked Sakura not used to call Naruto with a suffix, it just didn't suited him.

Naruto shrugged, "To tell the truth, I don't really know, but I suppose it would be at tomorrow's morning, it's depends of how much Kakashi-sensei needs to rest to use his jutsu again."

Sakura said nothing, disappointed. This Naruto was a blessing, he was everything she wanted in a man. Caring, protective, wise, powerful and handsome, her counterpart was so lucky to have him, "Do you think Naruto will be okay? I hope he doesn't try to do something stupid."

At the lack of Naruto's answer, Sakura heart skipped a beat, "I m-mean, he usually does reckless things when he needs to, but I suppose he would be more careful after nearly dying recently."

Naruto looked at the stars that were appearing in the soon-to-be night, "As long as he didn't made any dumb promise everything is fine."

Sakura let out a small shriek, "W-what do you mean?"

"I mean, if he anything like, and I guess he is, his promises holds more valor for him than the shinobi's code, the Hokage's word and Life's nature itself. He would prefer to die before breaking the smallest of his promises."

Sakura jumped out from Naruto's grip, her eyes searching worriedly for the village's bad district, "Oh no, Naruto…He wouldn't…Sasuke-kun…"

Naruto looked concerned now too, the face of the young Naruto before he left, was still fresh in his mind, "Tell me what happened, Sakura-san, I'm him after all."

Sakura nodded weakly, "Everything started when Kakashi-sensei told us about the chunin exams…" she told him everything that had occurred from the beginning, starting with their fight against Orochimaru in the Chunin exams. At the end of the tale, Naruto's face was a blank stare, his eyes darted to the waning moon.

"It must be hard, to lose someone you would consider a brother just because of one person's stubbornness of not accepting help. I don't know what I would have done if Itachi-niisan never had adopted me in the Uchiha Clan, I was treated better and later respected thanks to the Uchiha protection. Naruto-san… He is a strong individual, inclusive stronger than me."

Sakura looked at him in disbelief, "What are you talking about? You're thirty, he's thirteen, how could he-"

"I'm not talking about physical strength" interrupted Naruto, "What I'm talking about is inner strength. That feeling that gives you the motivation to get up from your bed every morning, and do something in your life. To have it all but not remembering it, then losing it in a matter of seconds and never have something like a family again…it's hard, even with the Uchiha Clan supporting me, I was still fragile and easily to be irritated in my youth, not even Sakura's introduction and now the married life can fill that part of my heart that will never heal. Time will heal a tree's wound, but what if the wound is deeper than the tree's trunk? I'm afraid…that Naruto-san could not be saved from his own demons, because some wounds cuts deeper than others."

"No…How can you say such things? You're an adult, you should have faith on yourself, even if it's from another world!"

"Do you have faith on him? Do you believe he can overstep everything that destiny throw at him? Would you defend him like he did for you?"

Sakura gulped, "I-I…I don't know, why it's must be me?"

Naruto stood up and stretched his legs, "Because, I'm not going to be here forever, and you're his most precious person right now. A misstep and you're out, and then, Naruto is gone forever. Alright, let's find Naruto-san, I'll try to talk with him."

The grown Naruto used the Henge Technique and took Sakura's hand with him. Sakura blushed and tried to protest, but the look in Naruto's face was enough to shut her. Naruto took one of special kunai from one of his pocket and threw it in the afar.

"What was that for-eek!" Sakura's voice was distorted as both ninjas disappeared in the middle of the night.

Sakura couldn't believe she was witnessing the use of the Fourth's Technique, and she was going to be alive to tell the tale.

"Tell me where Naruto lives, we need to get him as soon as possible."

With Sakura's directions, both ninjas were in front of Naruto's apartment in matter of seconds, as they traveled around the entire city without breaking a sweat.

"Now, I'm going to talk to Naruto and you will stay hidden, we can't risk Naruto to see you, he's too emotional unstable, understood?"

Sakura wanted to protest, but she knew it was for the better. He was Naruto after all, he was going to talk to himself and everything would turn out for the good in the end, she knew it would.

Naruto signaled Sakura to search a place to hide as they both walked in Naruto's apartment floor, the messy hall gave them a feeling of dread.

Naruto knocked once as Sakura hid in a small lateral hall, trying her best to suppress her chakra.

The door opened and a thoughtful looking Naruto peered from behind the door.

"Oh, it's you."

The grown Naruto nodded, "I'm here to talk to you Naruto-san, if you want to."

Naruto looked conflicted for a moment, his posture was guarded but in the end, he obliged, "Okay."

The house was how the grown Naruto would have imagined. Small, in bad shape and poorly decorated, they were clear signal of an individual living alone.

"Do you want something to drink?" asked Naruto surprisingly with a gentle tone.

"In that case I'd have drank all the water from the river, but no thanks, I'm fine."

Naruto nodded and signaled the older Naruto to talk.

"Alright, first off, I think I should use another name because having two Naruto's in the same room means chaos, so I think I'll need a new name" said the grown Naruto as he scratched his chin, "Okay, I think Arashi will do."

"Arashi?"

"What? Is a cool name, don't ya think so?" asked Arashi with a charming grin.

The corner of Naruto's mouth went upsward for a second, "Yes, it is" answered Naruto as he looked at his lap.

Arashi walked up to where Naruto was sitting and put his hand in Naruto's shoulders, "Listen to me Naruto-san, I have a feeling, and a very bad one, that you're going to do something very stupid in the near future, and maybe the reason why I ended up in this universe is to stop you, so thanks Kami for his mercy upon you and hear me, okay?"

Naruto didn't say anything, his head still bowed.

Arashi continued, "A small birdie told me that you have made a promise of a lifetime, to bring a certain stubborn someone, is that true?"

"Sakura…" Naruto whispered softly.

Arashi nodded, "Yes, it was her. Tell me Naruto, at what extend are you willing up to lost yourself in order to keep this promise of you?"

Naruto walked up and rested against the window's frame, "I guess the same as you, Arashi-san. At first I was reluctant as I thought about the pros and cons of giving myself up to Sakura, but after I learnt that she was married to me in other world, my decision was final."

Arashi opened the window and let out the cold air clash against his skin, "I find it amusing, how you heart dictates your actions, instead of using your mind. I know that the heart is the true strength of the shinobi, but sometimes, the heart betrays too."

"I'm leaving today, after we speak, with Jiraiya of the Sannin in a three years long trip to train myself and bring back Sasuke, as I promised to Sakura, you think you can stop me?" asked Naruto with a sharp tone.

Arashi sighed, "I'm not here to stop you from doing anything, Naruto-san. My path and decision are in another world, as yours are here. I'm not going to stand between you and your childish goals. No, I'm here to give a small advice, is your decision to listen to me or not."

Arashi took Naruto's silence as permission to continue, "Naruto, I don't know how hard your life has been, and I know you envies me for what I have. I know that my life looks like a fairytale, but all I have has been forged with blood, sweat and tears. I've lost numerous friends in the battlefield, and my life has been threatened more that I would like, but in the end, with perseverance, I reached what I always wanted."

"Tell me Naruto-san, do you wish to become Hokage like you father did?"

Naruto shifted uncomfortable, "Yes I do."

"Then you aren't ready to make decision for yourself. I wanted to become Hokage too when I was young, even with the respect of the village and all the friends I've made, I wanted to become Hokage, so everyone would acknowledge me for more than the Fourth's son and the heir of the Uzumakis. I wanted to make my own name and leave my father's shadow and also, leave my mark on my world, and you know what? I had the opportunity to become Hokage not once but twice."

Naruto finally looked at Arashi for the first time in the night, "From your voice's tone I'm guessing you declined…But why? You had the possibility to fulfill one of your dreams."

Arashi smiles at Naruto warmly, "Because I realized that my wishes to become Hokage was only an excuse to make myself stronger, and the reality of being Hokage is more than wearing the Hokage's robe, get your face carved on the Mountain and beat every bad guy that threats the village."

"Naruto-san, the thing is…That sometimes you have to takes difficult decisions, decisions that will change the course of your future and will destroy multiples possibilities. There was only one thing standing between the Hokage's position and I, do you want to know what it was?"

Naruto nodded, not trusting his voice.

"The only thing that made me declines the possibility of being Hokage not once, but twice was the same reason you and I are orphan."

"Wh-what?" Naruto stuttered shocked.

Arashi smiled once again, "Yes, the reason why I didn't end up being Hokage was my family. It was easy, to protect Sakura and my children, or to protect the village. Our dad was a strong man, but not even him, with all the power he had, could save the little family you both and I, had for a moment. It was his personal duty to protect his family, but also it was his Hokage's duty to protect the village, and in the end, the later won. I thought what I was going to do if something like that happened to me if I became Hokage. Was I going to be strong enough to protect my family and the village at the same time and live myself to tell the tale, or I was going to be one of those heroes who dies in the battlefield and everybody remember and mourn once a year? Call me selfish, Naruto-san, but I would save my family over the village anytime without skipping a beat. Yeah, there are possibilities that I could die doing so, but… I prefer to do it without the heavy weight on my shoulder that I have to save the village too. I love Konoha like I love myself, but that doesn't mean I'll going to throw myself in front of a civilian if he was going to be stabbed. I'm a man and a shinobi, but over that, I'm a father of two children and a husband, and if I needed to betray Konoha and maybe get myself exiled or worse, killed, to save my family from any deathly predicament…then, honor and loyalty be damned, because family always goes first."

Arashi sighed, "What I'm trying to say is… Don't do things because you feel obligated to. Do it in your own will, at the end of the day, a promise means nothing if the price is too high to be paid. You think Sakura-san would be happy if your friend come back alive but you end up dead? Don't you want to be happy too?"

Naruto's shoulder slumped and his figure started to shake, his voice cracked a bit, "Sakura-chan maybe isn't the nicest girl in the town, and yes, there are plenty of fish on the sea, but… I want to be for her not for myself in every way possible. I know that she is strong by herself, but I have seen how her eyes always were filled with sadness and sorrow everything Sasuke-teme ignored her when she thinks nobody is looking, I know that look because…. Is the same look I see reflected on myself everytime someone ignored me. I love Sakura-chan with all of my soul, but her heart belongs to someone else. I heard she was willing to betray the village just to be by his side, how can I compete to that type of devotion?" Naruto let out a sad laugh as the tears fell down from his face, "And you know what? I'd do the same thing if it made her happy."

Naruto cried gently as tears splashed against the floor, "I know that with enough perseverance I could make her love me…but, I don't think that's what I want, my heart is bonded to lover her, as hers is bonded to love another man. I know that first love something isn't real and, yeah, maybe mine's is just a puppy love. But, I know it's deeper, I just can feel it, because I want to protect her like I have never wanted to protect someone else. If bringing Sasuke-teme to the village makes her happy…then, so be it."

Arashi wrapped his arm around the heart-broken boy, Naruto's sobs intensified, "If it is that kind of devotion and love, then…There's nothing I can do to stop you, Naruto-san. Is your decision and yours alone."

"Is Sakura-chan happy on your world?"

Arashi looked confused at the question, but he mastered the best straight voice he could and responded, "She is a happy woman. She was under the tutoring of Tsunade of the Sannin, and became one of the most respectable assets of the Konoha's Hospital and the battlefield. We've two children, and while she isn't smiles and hugs from morning to night, I know she's content with what she ended up being. We rarely fight, and if we do, we usually are in peace after the heat of the house goes down."

Naruto gave his counterpart a bittersweet smile, "Then, I'm happy. Now I know that in another place, in another world, Sakura-chan is happy to be with me and share her life with me, and you know what...That´s enough for me, Sakura's happiness is my happiness too, even if my heart breaks everything she says his name and not mine's."

Naruto stood up and cleaned his face with a towel, his eyes filled sorrow, "Is my time to go, I'll be leaving now. Tell Sakura-chan…" Naruto felt his throat tightening again.

"Tell Sakura-chan…To be happy."

What Naruto didn't know was that Sakura was in the other side of the door, and she had listened to their conversation from the very beginning. Sakura pondered her fist against the door as hard as she could.

"Naruto! Open the door, please! Naruto! Don't leave me…" Sakura's voice echoed through the empty hall and inside Naruto's apartment.

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, but his determination never faltered.

Arashi didn't move a single muscle to help Sakura to open the door, nor to stop Naruto from leaving. This was their battle, not his, "You still have time, there's always time to change. Don't make a fatal mistake if you can avoid it, Naruto-san."

Naruto threw his backpack over his shoulder, "Tonight….Tonight, there are no mistakes to be made."

Arashi snorted, "You sound so full of yourself, like you have traveled through the whole world and collected the wisdom of every person of the world. Wake up, Naruto-san, you're thirteen. Yes, you have made a promise, but as I said, will it be worth it? And yes, you have bad guys behind your back, but that don't justify stupidity and teen impulses. You-" Arashi came to a halt as his heart started to beat faster. It looked like it was his time to leave.

Naruto now was sweating bullets, he really wanted to stay, but Sakura-chan…

"Naruto, please open the door! Don't leave me! Don't be like him!"

Naruto closed his eyes as Sakura's pleas intensified, his body was frozen in his place.

Arashi coughed, "I don't know how much time I have, it may be now, or it may takes hours, as long as Kakashi-sensei needs to extract my body back to my world, remember Naruto, the decision is your, and only yours."

Naruto looked at the man whom looked so much like him and his father, for the first time in his life, he knew how it felt to have a parental figure to lecture you. Naruto looked at the backpack with his belongings in his hands, it was the zero hour, "Arashi-san…"

Arashi nodded and cringed up as he felt like someone had punched him in the guts, "One of us is leaving now. I seriously hope that person is me."

Naruto gave Arashi a bear hug, his tone grateful, "Arashi-san, thanks you."

Sakura finally snapped and took a kunai from one of her pouch, breaking the handle's locker and throwing herself against the door. She was finally inside.

There was only one person inside, and his hair was blonde. His blue eyes darted from the backpack in the ground to the open window.

Sakura walked up to the person and engulfed him with her shaking hands, her emerald eyes closing for a moment tiredly. When she felt his arms around her figure, an overwhelming sense came to her, as she knew that tonight, the destiny of two people was changed forever. The blonde-haired person offered no words, as he just rubbed his hand around her back soothingly.

Sakura let out a sigh.

"Naruto…"

* * *

**A.N. Well, that was fun to write. I hope someone enjoyed it as much as I did when I wrote it. I'm sorry for any spelling error or grammar issue.**


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